Atheists:

[Robert_in_SD]

A good skeptic is a trustworthy friend. Unless of course, you enjoy the company of ’ yes men’.

The absence of skeptics does not necessarily leave only the company of sycophants. But I would still prefer the company of reasonalbe and open-minded person to the company of skeptics.

Peace,
-Robert

 

[phantasm]

Jesus established the Catholic church and it is only from Jesus Christ,

Ah, yes, I see, you are a believer that the creator of the universe allowed his children, the human mammal, to live for roughly, 200,000 years without the Catholic Church or the Christ to lead them to salvation.

Pity the 99.9% of humans who have ever lived without this wondrous salvation with which you speak

 

[phantasm]

The absence of skeptics does not necessarily leave only the company of sycophants. But I would still prefer the company of reasonalbe and open-minded person to the company of skeptics.

Peace,
-Robert

So long as they agree with you, right?

 

[Robert_in_SD]

Ah, yes, I see, you are a believer that the creator of the universe allowed his children, the human mammal, to live for roughly, 200,000 years without the Catholic Church or the Christ to lead them to salvation.

Pity the 99.9% of humans who have ever lived without this wondrous salvation with which you speak

Your legs must be tired from all the jumping to conclusions you’ve done on this thread.

Peace,
-Robert

 

[Veritas248]

Not me. I’d rather have a person sincerely interested in the truth, willing to doubt insofar as it takes to learn what is actually true, than one who doubts truth exists, continually doubts truth, or agrees with everything I say as a friend.

 

[Oreoracle]

I know there are at least a few atheists who post here and also on other Christian forums. I’m wondering why. As an atheist, why do you care that people believe in God? I would think that you couldn’t care less if there are believers, yet you try to convince people to stop believing.

The question will inevitably be turned around and you will ask why Christians try to convince you that there is a God. Obviously, we believe in an afterlife and would like to save souls. If we are wrong, at least it is done out of love and no harm will become you. But, you try to convince us that there is no salvation, no soul and if you are wrong, eternal hell awaits. So, you’re not trying to convince us out of love or compassion or anything good that I can think of.

Thanks for the responses.

Not true. If you believe something, you’ll act in accordance with it. Christians regularly reprimand people for doing harmless, enjoyable things. I’m here to help prevent, mitigate, or reduce that behavior. Stop stereotyping.

I’m here to change ethical opinions, not metaphysical ones.

 

[phantasm]

Your legs must be tired from all the jumping to conclusions you’ve done on this thread.

Peace,
-Robert

That is all you offer in retort?

Ownage = mine

 

[bradwill911]

Not true. If you believe something, you’ll act in accordance with it. Christians regularly reprimand people for doing harmless, enjoyable things. I’m here to help prevent, mitigate, or reduce that behavior. Stop stereotyping.

I’m here to change ethical opinions, not metaphysical ones.

Not stereotyping at all. I know many atheists and the behavior I described is my honest observation.

It’s fairly simple, Christians believe in the soul and an afterlife, true/false

Atheists do not believe in the soul or an afterlife, true/false

When a Christian defends or presents their faith, no matter how imperfectly or lacking in charity it can be at times, the Christian is trying to save a person’s soul. Now I think that is an accurate statement, at least among the Christians (of different denominations) that I know.

My question is why an atheist, who does not believe in an afterlife or the soul, would try to convince a Christian that his beliefs are incorrect when IF the Christian is correct the consequences are eternal. IF the atheist is correct, it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things (not eternal).

I’m sorry if this is stereotyping, I believe I’m making accurate observations and presenting them.

You answered my question. You are here to to help prevent, mitigate, or reduce Christians from reprimanding people for doing harmless, enjoyable things. Thanks for the honest answer.

 

[Abbadon]

I love to observe how the faithful deal with the problems that come with the exponential growth of technology and knowledge in today’s age.

I love how what often blogs will represent as parody incarnates it’s self over and over by users on posts here. Me and my friends joke about responses of the religious, those responses are made whole here. I cry with laughter sometimes.

And finally I love to wonder the question, how have people come to be religious? And how do they maintain their religiosity.

 

[bradwill911]

I love to observe how the faithful deal with the problems that come with the exponential growth of technology and knowledge in today’s age.

I love how what often blogs will represent as parody incarnates it’s self over and over by users on posts here. Me and my friends joke about responses of the religious, those responses are made whole here. I cry with laughter sometimes.

And finally I love to wonder the question, how have people come to be religious? And how do they maintain their religiosity.

Thanks for you answer, I’m glad we can be of entertainment value:thumbsup:

Follow up question, do you generally believe you are smarter or more advanced than Christians and other theists?

 

[Abbadon]

My question is why an atheist, who does not believe in an afterlife or the soul, would try to convince a Christian that his beliefs are incorrect when IF the Christian is correct the consequences are eternal. IF the atheist is correct, it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things (not eternal).
.

I personally don’t care what people believe. I have a few witch friends and I do not go to change their mind, unless it is about something that will hurt them and then i inform them. As long as people do not try to push their beliefs on me I do not care. I do enjoy a good debate however, like footy fans enjoy a kick of the ball, it’s an intellectual sport for me, and I like to sharpen my wit. No bigger topic than god, religion and the meaning of life. I also love debating philosophy and religion is the retarded brother of philosophy.

Ahhhh Pascals wager in another form. How about we look at it like this, if the Atheist is correct you have not only wasted your entire life but resources that could have been used for the betterment of humanity were used in the perpetuation of a fairytale. The Atheist could see you wasting everything away and out of the the same sympathy you feel for them wish to make you see the light. Same reasons different context.

 

[Abbadon]

Thanks for you answer, I’m glad we can be of entertainment value:thumbsup:

Follow up question, do you generally believe you are smarter or more advanced than Christians and other theists?

There is no real overall category for smarter, you will have to be specific smarter in what?
More advanced how? I don’t really understand what you mean.

 

[phantasm]

My question is why an atheist, who does not believe in an afterlife or the soul, would try to convince a Christian that his beliefs are incorrect when IF the Christian is correct the consequences are eternal. IF the atheist is correct, it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things (not eternal).

Simple.

The moderates allow the dangerous fundamentalists, of any faith, to lurk in the shadows and plot our destruction and that of our great Western civilization, in the name of their God.

 

[Veritas248]

I personally don’t care what people believe. I have a few witch friends and I do not go to change their mind, unless it is about something that will hurt them and then i inform them. As long as people do not try to push their beliefs on me I do not care. I do enjoy a good debate however, like footy fans enjoy a kick of the ball, it’s an intellectual sport for me, and I like to sharpen my wit. No bigger topic than god, religion and the meaning of life. I also love debating philosophy and religion is the retarded brother of philosophy.

Ahhhh Pascals wager in another form. How about we look at it like this, if the Atheist is correct you have not only wasted your entire life but resources that could have been used for the betterment of humanity were used in the perpetuation of a fairytale. The Atheist could see you wasting everything away and out of the the same sympathy you feel for them wish to make you see the light. Same reasons different context.

This won’t do either. For if the Atheist is right, then humanity has no objective innate purpose, that is, a purpose independent of itself, and thus there is no reason to better humanity. Heck, there is no purpose in living. I agree Pascal’s Wager is a bit shaky, but this explanation holds no water.

 

[phantasm]

This won’t do either. For if the Atheist is right, then humanity has no objective innate purpose, that is, a purpose independent of itself, and thus there is no reason to better humanity…

Speak for youself, your selfish desires and your obsession with a life not yet lived.

I on the other hand, would like to better all of humanity for the sake of my genetic offspring.

 

[Veritas248]

To what end? What is the overall purpose of it all? If there is none, then what’s the point?(Honest Question)
How dare you call me selfish? You know nothing about me, and yet make such a personal attack? If you will not keep this conversation in good charity, then I’ll leave.

 

[phantasm]

To what end? What is the overall purpose of it all? If there is none, then what’s the point?(Honest Question)
How dare you call me selfish? You know nothing about me, and yet make such a personal attack? If you will not keep this conversation in good charity, then I’ll leave.

The overall purpose, is for the betterment of my genetic offspring and all of humanity.

Why do you insist that living forever must be a necessity or that if you don’t live forever,everything is pointless? That’s a very sad, self centered and selfish view of life. No?

 

[Veritas248]

The overall purpose, is for the betterment of my genetic offspring and all of humanity.

Why do you insist that living forever must be a necessity? That’s kind of sad.

Where did I say it was living forever? It could be any innate purpose. Why do humans create cars? So they have a means of convenient transportation. That is the purpose of cars, its why they were created. The betterment of humanity is not a purpose in and of itself, unless there was an innate, objective, meaningful reason to do so. What is that reason? Like the car’s innate purpose is to provide transportation, what is the innate purpose of humanity?

 

[phantasm]

Where did I say it was living forever? It could be any innate purpose. Why do humans create cars? So they have a means of convenient transportation. That is the purpose of cars, its why they were created. The betterment of humanity is not a purpose in and of itself, unless there was an innate, objective, meaningful reason to do so. What is that reason? Like the car’s innate purpose is to provide transportation, what is the innate purpose of humanity?

sigh

I’ve told you twice. Are you thick or are you being deliberately obtuse?

 

[Veritas248]

sigh

I’ve told you twice. Are you thick or are you being deliberately obtuse?

No, I’m not. The explanation you have provided is not sufficient. You fail to explain the reason behind it, why it should be pursued. Let me put it this way: Why should I care about the betterment of humanity?